The present invention is directed to an outsert-forming machine and method.
An outsert is an informational item formed from a sheet of paper which is folded in two perpendicular directions. The sheet of paper has information printed thereon, which is typically information relating to a pharmaceutical product or drug. The outsert may be adhesively attached to the top or side of a pharmaceutical container, such as a bottle of pills. Alternatively, the outsert may be inserted loosely into a cardboard box in which a pharmaceutical container is disposed. After purchase of the pharmaceutical product by a consumer, the outsert may be unfolded so that the consumer may read the information printed thereon.
There are a number of patents which disclose methods of forming outserts and machines that may be used in connection with the formation of outserts. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,815 to Michael Vijuk discloses an automatic stacking and folding apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,195 to Michael Vijuk discloses various methods and apparatus for forming outserts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,931 to Robert Vijuk discloses a method and apparatus for forming a folded leaflet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,873 to Michael Vijuk discloses an apparatus for stacking folded sheets on edge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,374, 5,813,700 and 5,909,899 disclose various methods of forming outserts.
A prior art outsert-forming machine sold by the assignee of this patent more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this patent included a first folding unit that formed a first folded article from a sheet of paper having printed information thereon by making a plurality of folds in the sheet of paper, each of the folds being parallel to a first direction, a second folding unit operatively coupled to receive the first folded article that formed a second folded article by making a fold in the first folded article in a direction parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an adhesive applicator that applied adhesive to a portion of the second folded article, and a final folding unit operatively coupled to receive the second folded article that formed an outsert from the second folded article by making a final fold parallel to the second direction, the final fold being made so that the adhesive held the outsert in a substantially closed position so that the outsert had no exposed unfolded exterior edges in a direction parallel to the final fold.
The first and second folding units of the prior art outsert-forming machine were substantially the same as the folding unit shown in FIG. 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,931 to Vijuk and included two frame members, a first pair of folding rollers rotatably mounted between the frame members, a first stop member associated with the first pair of folding rollers that was positioned to cause a leading edge of the sheet of paper to contact the first stop member so that continued feeding of the sheet of paper with the leading edge of the sheet of paper in contact with the first stop member caused an intermediate portion of the sheet of paper to buckle and be passed between the first pair of folding rollers to make a first fold in the sheet of paper, a second pair of folding rollers rotatably mounted between the frame members, and a second stop member associated with the second pair of folding rollers. The second stop member and the second pair of folding rollers were positioned to cause a leading portion of the sheet of paper to contact the second stop member so that continued feeding of the sheet of paper with the leading portion of the sheet of paper in contact with the second stop member caused an intermediate portion of the sheet of paper to buckle and be passed between the second pair of folding rollers to make a second fold in the sheet of paper parallel to the first fold. The operation of the first and second folding units of the prior art outsert-forming machine was the same as the operation of the folding units 210, 212 shown in FIGS. 10A–11B, respectively, of this patent.
The final folding unit of the prior art outsert-forming machine was substantially the same as the folding unit shown in FIGS. 26–30 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,195 to Vijuk and included a pair of frame members, a first folding roller mounted between the frame members, a second folding roller disposed adjacent the first folding roller, the first and second folding rollers having a nip therebetween, the first and second folding rollers causing the final fold to be made when the second folded article passed between the first and second folding rollers, and a movable member that made contact with a portion of the second folded article to move the portion of the second folded article towards the nip between the first and second folding rollers of the final folding unit. The position of one of the two folding rollers of the final folding unit of the prior art outsert-forming machine was adjustable so that the maximum distance between the outer diameters of the folding rollers was 0.22 inches. The operation of the final folding unit of the prior art outsert-forming machine was the same as the operation of the folding unit 216a shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, respectively, of this patent, except that the maximum distance between the outer diameters of the folding rollers of the final folding unit of the prior art outsert-forming machine was 0.22 inches.